Constellations
by shockstarzzz
Summary: Aboard the Starship Enterprise, everything is almost as it should be...
1. Chapter 1: Deception

**Constellations**

Aboard the Starship _Enterprise_, everything is almost as it should be. But a new voice now fills the hearts and minds of the crew, and the sleek body of a dark-skinned nine-year-old girl dashes through the ship, her laughter ringing throughout the empty corridors. Her name is Micah, and her mysterious ways and dark past may touch the life of a certain Vulcan officer in ways he never thought possible.

Chapter One

**Deception**

It was a calm, quiet day on the U.S.S. _Enterprise,_ with random duties being preformed and reports being written. Even Dr. McCoy could find nothing to complain about. And Kirk, for once was content for things to remain this way, at least for awhile.

Then he started getting bored.

"Jim, what the hell's the matter with you? This is the third time in the past half hour that you've called sickbay with nothing to say! Now, are you suddenly eager to get another physical just so you can converse with your kindly Chief Medical Officer, or what?"

Kirk sighed. "Sorry, Bones. I guess I'm just a little restless, that's all."

"James T. Kirk, captain of the U.S.S. _Enterprise_, is actually somewhat bored on a day when he's not fighting Klingons or stealing a Romulan cloaking device, or… well, imagine that!"

"Forget it, Bones."

McCoy rolled his eyes, despite knowing that Kirk couldn't see him. "Of course, Captain."

Uhura was monitoring communications and relishing in the fact that she still had yet to say, "Hailing frequencies open, Captain.", when it happened. As she turned in her seat to comment on this to Sulu, there was suddenly a brilliant flash of light in front of her and she stumbled back and let out a little involuntary shriek. Chekov instantly swung around and stood gaping for a full 10 seconds before squeaking, "Keptin! I… tink you'd better come look at this, sair."

Kirk turned in the direction of the ensign's voice and stared. "Uh, Bones…"

"What is it now, Jim?" asked McCoy in exasperation.

"Bones… I think you'd better come up here." Kirk addressed Uhura, "Lt., please call Mr. Spock to the bridge."

Uhura, mesmerized, did not immediately respond.

"Lieutenant!"

"Aye, sir." She replied shakily, pressing the comm link to Spock's quarters. "Mr. Spock, please come to the bridge. Mr. Spock…"

Kirk slowly got up out of his chair and started toward something that could not possibly be there.

It was a little girl.

As the turbolift doors opened to admit McCoy and Spock, the girl came to life and began kicking and screaming. "No, no, no, no, no!! Please, take me home! Take me home!!"

McCoy quickly reached the girl and injected a hypo in her arm, all the while staring at her in disbelief. Then he turned to Chekov and Sulu and ordered, "Take her to sickbay."

"Captain, where did she come from?" whispered Uhura wonderingly. "She's such a beautiful child."

Kirk nodded mutely. The young girl had had long, straight jet black hair, slightly tanned skin, a tall, lithe form, and amazing eyes that seemed to go on forever, colourless, yet full of colour.

"Spock… analysis."

"Not enough data, Captain." Spock replied calmly. "We shall have to see when she awakens."

"Yes, of course." Kirk nodded distractedly. "Bones?"

"Well, wherever she came from, Jim, we're going to have to figure out what to do with her." McCoy told him.

"Doctor, first we must learn what she is and if she shows any sign of contagious disease. You, as a doctor, surely know this." Spock stated.

"Of course, I know, dammit, Spock, I'm just saying-"

"Gentlemen, please." Kirk interrupted, knowing that if he let this innocent argument go on, it might never stop. "All we know for the time being is that she is here, very possibly far away form her home and parents. We should at least try to make the girl comfortable."

"Of course, Jim."

"Yes, Captain."

Kirk rubbed his hands together. "Well, then, now that that's settled, how about we go and see how our little guest is doing?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**.**

When the three arrived at sickbay, Nurse Chapel was very busy trying to keep the young girl quiet. The girl was violently kicking the nurse with all her might and wailing that she wanted to go home.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, I don't know what's wrong with her." Chapel apologized. "She isn't reacting to hypos very well. She comes out of them right away!"

"Spock!" yelped Kirk as the girl landed him a good punch square in the jaw. He had had enough. This girl was going to have a nice long visit in Dream Land.

Spock instantly moved toward the girl, but couldn't do the nerve pinch when she was jerking so violently. Finally, he gave up any hope of knocking her out and instead grabbed her hand and held it tightly, whispering calm, soothing thoughts into her mind. Eventually, the screaming and kicking ceased.

Chapel stared at Spock for a moment, then quickly put the girl under restraint, just in case. But the girl continued simply gazing into Spock's eyes.

"Well, Mr. Spock." McCoy said cheerfully after a time. "It appears you certainly have a way with kids."

Confused, Spock raised a brow and quietly murmured, "Indeed."

Kirk grinned and subtly punched McCoy in the shoulder. Then, a little more cautiously, moved toward Spock.

"Spock," he whispered, "If I'm not mistaken, you're a touch-telepath, correct? Are you getting anything from her?"

Spock remained silent for so long Kirk began to wonder if he would respond. "She is very confused, Captain, and frightened. She does not know where she is, or how she got here."

"Well, that tells us a lot." muttered McCoy. "Anything else that's _useful_, Spock?"

Spock shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Doctor. I cannot see anymore without a mind-meld."

"Who are you?" the girl asked suddenly. Chapel turned and stared at the girl.

Spock frowned slightly at the girl. "I must ask you first who _you_ are before I will answer any questions."

The girl struggled to sit up, then fell back down with a flop when she noticed the restraints. "Why are you-" she cut herself off. "M-my name is Micah. Micah Strongeagle. Are-are you going to hurt me, like the others did?"

Spock leaned slightly closer. "Who are the others?"

Micah looked at Spock fearfully. "They… they were big, and strong and… and they hurt me. They beat me up. Are you going to do that, too?"

Spock looked at McCoy for verification. "She's telling the truth, Spock. She's showing severe signs of exhaustion and malnutrition, as well as obvious abuse." McCoy lowered the medical tricorder. "Someone- or some_thing-_ definitely 'beat her up'."

Spock turned back to Micah. "Whoever these 'others' are, I can promise you that we are not them and that we have absolutely no intention of harming you, Miss Strongeagle."

Micah giggled. "It's _Micah!_"

Spock raised an eyebrow, and Micah laughed out loud. "You look so funny when you do that!"

The Vulcan resisted the sudden, illogical impulse to smile at her beautiful laugh.

Suddenly, her laughter froze as she finally noticed Spock's ears, and Spock felt himself stiffen up as well at her change of mood. Was she about to reject him?

Then she smiled delightedly and reached out to trace the tips of his delicately pointed ears. "Wow!! That looks so weird! What happened?"

Spock closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, reminding himself that she was just a child and that she very possibly had never seen a Vulcan before. "Nothing 'happened' to them, Micah, that is simply the way they are. I am a Vulcan." He told her, hoping that she would understand when she heard the familiar word.

But only confusion was in her expression as she asked, "A what?"

Kirk stepped forward and muttered to Spock, "She obviously isn't from around here if she doesn't know what a Vulcan is. Can you do a quick search for anyone by the name of 'Micah Strongeagle'?"

Spock hesitated, then released Micah's hand as the young girl fell into a restless sleep.

"Spock?"

"Of course, Captain. Right away."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**Captain's log, stardate 4136.4. I have called a meeting of the senior bridge crew in regards to the mysterious young girl who calls herself 'Micah Strongeagle' who appeared on the bridge at approximately 12:00** **hours today. We don not know who she is, or how she got here. I am holding this meeting in order to find out this necessary information.**

Captain James T. Kirk sat restlessly in his chair, resisting the childish urge to _move_. Where the hell were Spock and McCoy?

Just then, the doors slid open and McCoy ran hurriedly to his seat, while Spock calmly walked up to stand beside his captain.

"Spock?" asked Kirk impatiently. "What did you find?"

"I have been running the name 'Micah Strongeagle' through the computer, captain, and it has come up with 341, 452 results. 7234 people fit the physical description, but none of them look exactly like the young woman in sickbay."

"She's asleep now, Jim, but before, I was questioning her, and I now know her age, birthplace, and the names of her parents and family, as well as her hometown." continued McCoy. "We've added that to the search. But the thing is we can't find anyone in the entire damn universe who is anything like her!"

Kirk looked perplexed. "No one?"

McCoy shook his head. "I'm giving the girl a complete physical when she wakes up as well as a few physiological tests. But until then, Jim, I'm sorry. We're going to have to wait."

Kirk clenched his fists, frustrated. "But what are we going to do with her? What if she really has no family? And why on earth did these 'others' have her?"

"Now, Jim." admonished McCoy teasingly. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat?"

Kirk turned to stare at the doctor. "I want to know why she's here, Bones. There has to be a reason, and I'm going to find it." With that, the honored Starfleet captain turned abruptly and marched out the door, leaving the rest of the bridge crew in silence.

"Well," said McCoy after a beat. "I'm scared."

Spock faced the doctor. "Doctor, fear is an illogical approach the situation. I find I quite agree with Captain Kirk's assessment. There is a logical reason for everything." Then Spock, too, turned and left.

McCoy rolled his bright blue eyes heaven-ward. "I believe I was incorrect in my previous statement, Scotty." He said, addressing the Chief Engineer. "_Now_ I'm scared."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

"I'm hungry." The little girl said for about the 15th time.

"Yes, I'm quite aware of that Micah." Nurse Chapel replied, exasperated. The girl seemed to have an endless love of food. "If you'll just wait a few moments, Dr. McCoy-"

"Where's Spock?" Micah interrupted. Chapel almost collapsed with relief. Finally, a topic _other_ than food!

" is on the bridge, Micah. Why?"

Micah ignored the question. "Where's that?"

Chapel rolled her eyes. This was a totally incurable case of curiosity. Reminded her of someone she knew, once… "It was where you were when you first came aboard, Micah. Do you remember?"

Micah's dark eyebrows delicately knit together as she struggled to remember. "Yeah… I think so. There was this pretty woman, and another guy who talked really weird…"

Chapel smiled in recognition. "I think you're talking about Uhura and Chekov, Micah. We'll have to start introducing you to the rest of the crew pretty soon, if you're going to stay here for the next little while. At the rate you're healing, you should be out of Sickbay in no time."

Micah beamed. "Can I have a room of my own? Oh, please, please, please, please??"

Chapel reached down to briefly ruffle the young girl's hair. "I think that can be arranged. You'll have to ask the Captain."

Micah bounced up and down with excitement, despite what the pain of her injuries caused her. "Oh, boy! At home, I always have to sleep with my baby sister. She's really cute, but she always cries, and she's really loud." Her face fell. "Or she was. Christine, do you think I-" Micah hesitated, and looked up anxiously at Nurse Chapel. "Will I ever get home again?" She blurted finally, apprehension filling her beautiful, large eyes.

The Nurse tried to smile reassuringly. "Of course, you will, Micah. Just wait and see."

Micah stared down at her dirty white sneakers. It was then that Chapel noticed them, antiques that could be worth thousands of dollars. Where had such a young girl received such expensive shoes that- against all logic- actually looked relatively new?

Micah's soft voice shattered Chapel's train of thought, and she turned back to the little girl.

"Do you really believe that?" she was saying.

Chapel's heart broke at the amount of pain in the child's eyes, and she put on her best smile, hoping against hope that Micah would not see through it.

"Yes."

The dark eyes regarded Chapel, searching. The smile held, and Nurse Chapel almost succeeded in hiding her own pain. No normal person would be able to see the tears welling up in Christine's brilliant blue eyes as she lied.

But the Nurse had forgotten one very important thing about this beautiful child. Something that could terribly hurt an innocent little girl.

Micah wasn't normal.


	2. Chapter 2: Duel

Chapter Two

**Duel**

"Why, Jim, imagine meeting you at a place like this!" Doctor McCoy drawled cheerfully as he entered the briefing room the next day. Before Kirk could speak, McCoy held up a finger and said, "And in answer to your unasked question, yes, I got finally got the girl to go through her physical. Seems you and Spock aren't the only ones who hate it."

"Doctor, the emotion of 'hate' is foreign to me. I-"

"Now, Bones-"

The accused spoke at the same time.

McCoy rolled his eyes. "Anyway, that and the results of the psychological tests I ran on her might surprise you."

Kirk took the paper from McCoy's hand and quickly scanned the few words that he actually understood. Then he silently handed it to Spock, who began reading the archaic piece of paper, eyebrow rising quickly to his hairline.

"Fascinating."

McCoy and Kirk looked at each other. They both knew what was coming.

Spock turned to the rest of the senior staff. "It appears that Miss Strongeagle is indeed not from this century at all. According to the results of the tests she recently underwent in Sickbay, she is nine years old, and was born on March 21st….. 2020."

They stared at him in silent shock.

Finally, Scott spoke. "Two thousand-…..twenty? That's nae possibly, Mistar Spock!"

"That statement is illogical, Mr. Scott. The evidence is clear."

"But… how…?" Uhura asked softly.

Spock hesitated briefly before reluctantly admitting, "I do not know."

Kirk turned to the handsome Asian officer seated before him. "Mr. Sulu, any ideas?"

Sulu leaned forward in his chair. "As far as we know, Captain, it could be anything. The 'slingshot' effect around the sun, a wormhole, perhaps even the Guardian of Forever."

Kirk rubbed his forehead tiredly. "So we don't know. Well, that certainly helps." He stared into empty space for a time, thinking. How, how, _how _had she arrived here?

He suddenly felt a warm hand on his shoulder, gently but firmly shaking out of his pointless thoughts. "Jim." The Vulcan said quietly.

Kirk looked around, sighing. "Bones, you've run checks on her. Do you think she is in any condition for a long trip through time?"

McCoy's mouth dropped open. "Jim, you can't be serious-"

"I asked you a question, Doctor: is she or is she not well enough to go through the Guardian?"

McCoy hesitated. _No!_ His ever-present conscience screamed. _Damn you, Jim, are you crazy? She's sick! She's hurt! She's just a kid!! _

He swallowed, feeling a dozen eyes on him. He opened his mouth to protest….

…… "Yes." The Doctor said.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"….Captain to the bridge. Captain, this is an emergency. Captain to the….."

Kirk awoke to sirens.

He jolted up with a start, red flashing all around him. At first, in his jumbled state of mind he thought it to be blood. Then he realized that it was simply the red of the _Enterprise_ alarms sounding.

Alarms sounding?

Suddenly, Kirk was nothing but a blur of gold and uniform. He rushed to the bridge.

"Lieutenant, report!"

"Keptin, it's _Klingons_!" yelled Chekov, barely suppressing the rage he felt. Lt. Uhura was already busy struggling to communicate with them.

"Captain, the Klingons are hailing us!"

"Onscreen." Kirk said with forced calm.

An angry image rippled on to the screen. Or, to be more exact, an angry _Klingon._

"Ah, Captain Kirk. So good to meet you at last." Acid sarcasm dripped from the words. "I am Captain G'Kam, of the Klingon ship _D'__akturak_ ."

Kirk nodded shortly. Then, "Why are you here, Captain? The _Enterprise_ is on a simple routine mission. We have nothing to offer." He bluffed.

The Klingon smiled greedily. "Ah, but you do, _Captain._ You do." The picture disappeared.

"Damn." muttered Kirk. He had been hoping that G'Kam would reveal what he wanted.

Suddenly, "Captain, they are preparing to fire on us."

Kirk whirled to face Spock. "What the hell do they want from us? We may not exactly be on a routine mission, but we really don't have anything to offer! What's so damn important to them?"

"There are a number of things that they could want, Captain. Dilithium crystals, the _Enterprise,_ perhaps even you. I am sure that capturing the Great Captain Kirk would be a great honor for any Klingon."

"Why, thank-you, Mr. Spock." Kirk muttered sarcastically. He turned back to the screen. _What do I do?_

His panicked thoughts were interrupted by Spock, calmly stating that the Klingons were firing on the _Enterprise._ Kirk braced himself, hating every moment of his helplessness.

There was no escape.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Sickbay was a blur of motion. Nurses were running about, taking unresisting patients to the safer I.C.U. Dr. McCoy was on the comm link, demanding what was happening. And Nurse Chapel was left to the most difficult job in the entire Sickbay.

Micah Strongeagle.

"No, Micah, come with me! We're going to a safer place where no one can hurt you, I promise."

"What's happening??" Micah screeched. She rudely pushed Chapel away from her. "No! I want to go home!!"

"Micah, we're taking you home right now. But we're having some trouble. And we need you to come with me so you don't get hurt."

"NO!!"

"Micah!"

Micah tore herself from Chapel's grasp and ran to Dr. McCoy. "Let me see, let me see!"

McCoy gently pried the little girl off of him. "No, Micah. I'm sorry." He turned to his Head Nurse. "I'm going to the bridge, Christine. You're in charge here."

Micah desperately clutched McCoy. "Take me with you!" she begged.

The Doctor looked down at Micah sternly. "No, Micah. It's too dangerous. You stay down here and do what Christine tells you to."

Micah stared down at her sneakers at the harsh words. "Yes, sir."

McCoy smiled. "Good girl." Then he turned and left Sickbay.

Chapel inwardly sighed with relief and released her iron grip on the young girl. But no sooner did she do this, Micah took off through the unguarded Sickbay doors and dashed down the busy corridor.

"Micah!!"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………**...**

Micah Strongeagle was three-quarters Cree, one-quarter French, and scared to death.

What was happening? Who was trying to hurt them? Why was everyone running?

Where was Spock?

The nine-year-old had felt a special connection the moment the Vulcan touched her, a connection she had felt with no one else. It was almost as if he were her own knight in shining armor, rescuing her from the depths of her fears, and willing to protect her no matter what. Though she had not even seen him so much as smile, Christine told her that was normal. She said that Mr. Spock didn't even _have_ any feelings. But Micah had caught the slight exaggeration in the Nurses' wording.

Everyone had feelings, the little girl reasoned. _Everyone._

And as she flew down the corridor, dodging the worried crew, she found small comfort in that fact.

She wasn't the only one who was frightened.

Suddenly, she saw a flash of blue. Spock?

As she neared the figure, though, she realized that it was McCoy, heading for the turbolift. She raced to catch the crusty doctor.

"Micah! I thought I told you to say in Sickbay!" The Doctor told her angrily.

Micah glared defiantly at McCoy. "I'm coming!"

"Doctor, we are in need of your assistance. Ensign Tammak is injured...." a deep, masculine voice suddenly crackled through the intercom.

"Spock!" cried Micah. She turned to a startled McCoy. "Like it or not, Doctor, I'm coming with you."

McCoy sighed in resignation, muttered something about spoiled little brats. Then he grasped the turbolift handle and said, "Bridge."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………**..**

Kirk stumbled to Mr. Scott, praying that the engineer could do something, anything that could save them. But what could a simple engineer do?

"Scotty!"

"Cap'n, we've lost 2 dilithium crystals! Shields are only at 20%! We cannae go on much longer!"

He turned to Spock. "Spock, why aren't we going anywhere?"

Spock looked at his captain and raised an eyebrow. "I believe Mr. Scott just told you, sir. We have burned out two dilithium crystals. The _Enterprise_ can only move on impulse power."

TSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEWW!!

Kirk fell back against his chair. "Mr. Chekov, Mr. Sulu; get us out of here!!"

Chekov pounded his station in frustration. (A/N: hmmmmmmmm… that rhymes….: D) "I ken't, sair! Nawigational is locked up!"

"Jim!" Kirk whirled at the familiar voice. "Bones!"

Then he noticed the little girl standing beside him.

The doctor forced a smile. "Oh yes. My young patient here insists on coming to the bridge." Then, in a voice that only Kirk (and possibly Spock) could hear, he added, "She must be related to you, Jim, this young lady can be very persuasive."

Suddenly, the image of Captain G'Kam once again appeared on the screen. "I will give you 5 minutes, Captain Kirk. 5 minutes to surrender your ship and give me my-" Just then, the Klingon froze. Stared.

And Micah screamed.

"It's them!! It's them!!!!" Kirk turned to her. "Micah?"

"Captain! It's-"

The Klingon smiled sadistically. "Well, well. Greetings, Tajtiq. I see you are doing better."

Kirk opened his mouth to speak, but Spock beat him to it.

"What do you want with her?" the Vulcan asked, calmly, but with a dangerous note to his deep voice.

G'Kam looked at Spock, surprised. "And what do you care, Vulcan? She is property of the Klingon Empire. I did not believe Vulcans were capable of such foolish _human_ concern.

Kirk felt his First Officer stiffen beside him, and silently told him, _Take it easy, Spock. _He then looked at Mr. Scott.

"Scotty, what's wrong with Navigational?" he muttered in a quiet voice that he hoped the Klingon could not hear.

"Och, just a minor problem, sir. I'll have it fixed in a moment."

Kirk almost collapsed with relief. Then he remembered: they had a deadline.

"Scotty, can you fix it in-" he turned to Spock questioningly.

"Approximately three minutes, eighteen seconds, sir."

"Three minutes. Can you do it, Scotty?"

The Chief Engineer rubbed his chin. "I think so, sir."

"Good." Kirk said, praying that running would be enough.

But as Kirk looked at the screen, he realized that it would never be enough.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………**.**

Aboard the Klingon vessel _D'__akturak__, _Captain G'Kam waited, a sadistic smile plastered on his face. He no longer cared that his crew did not view him as an honorable commander or that his brother, Koloth, the _petaQ_, did not even consider him family. He did not care that he had behaved in every possible dishonorable way.

His people needed him.

Captain G'Kam was under strict orders from the Empire to bring back this girl at all costs. The young human, whom the rest of the crew had nicknamed 'Tajtiq' for her sharp tongue, was perhaps the key to the survival of the Klingon race. Though the Empire was reluctant to admit it, Tajtiq was far more powerful than the entire planet combined. G'Kam was no brilliant scientist, but he knew that there was something special about the child.

"One minute, thirteen seconds, Captain." G'Kam informed Kirk gleefully. The other Captain was known throughout the galaxy for his cleverness. What an honor it would be to be the one the capture him! It was an honor that would be passed on to his son, Kruge, and honor that would someday be passed on to his grandchildren.

But one thing had been bothering G'Kam from the moment that he had laid eyes on the _Enterprise._

It was by sheer luck that they had been able to find Tajtiq. And it was by sheer luck that she happened to be aboard the most well-known Federation ship in the entire Empire.

G'Kam did not believe in luck.

He remembered exactly how the girl had disappeared, of course. And he could readily assure the Empire that the _to'ba_ of a traitor who had randomly transported Tajtiq did not have a pleasant death. Oh, no. Most certainly not.

But she had been beamed aboard the _Enterprise_. How? How had the traitor known the location of the Starship?

_No matter, _G'Kam decided. The fact was that the girl was here, and G'Kam was about to become the most honored captain in the entire Empire.

G'Kam smiled. "Time's up, Captain. I hope pain is something you enjoy."

Then he turned to his Tactical Officer. "_Bah_!" G'Kam ordered, his excitement almost overwhelming him at the familiar Klingon word.

_Fire_.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I have it, sir."

It was the moment that Kirk had been waiting for. "Now, Sulu!"

The _Enterprise_ shot like a rocket, out of the way of the Klingon torpedo.

Kirk smiled to himself. They had only moved on impulse power, but it was enough. The _Enterprise_ was _moving._

A look of pure outrage crossed the Klingon's face as they flew, and Kirk heard him say something in Klingonese that he assumed was either a curse or an order to follow.

But Kirk was ready for him.

Chekov looked back at his captain. "Torpedoes ready, sair."

Kirk grinned. "Fire, Mr. Chekov."

And with the young ensign's perfect aim, the torpedo fired.

"Direct hit!" Chekov enthused.

Kirk slapped the back of Chekhov's seat. "Well done, Mr. Chekov!"

The Klingon ship wasn't going anywhere.

All around the bridge of the _Enterprise_, people were celebrating. Kirk could hear cheers and congratulations from everyone. But one voice sounded very out of place in the cheerful atmosphere.

Someone was crying.

Kirk turned around to see Micah, curled up on Spock's chair, tears slipping down the young girls cheeks. Beside her, McCoy was trying uselessly to comfort her. Spock stood rigidly next to the doctor, and Kirk imagined he saw a brief flicker of pain dance across the Vulcans face before it returned back to its usual impassiveness.

"Micah, what's wrong?" asked Kirk worriedly, wondering if it were the battle that had caused those tears. Had the girl been so frightened?

Micah looked up and hastily wiped at her face. "I- I'm sorry, sir."

Kirk felt a powerful urge to take the girl up in her arms, to gently wipe those tears away. "It's alright, Micah. Just tell me what's wrong." The captain pleaded.

Micah looked away. "I don't know." She whispered softly. "It's- It's just…" her voice broke.

Only Kirk noticed the Vulcan hesitantly raise a hand, reach out to the girl, then freeze. Only Kirk could see the war that raged within him appear on his First Officers face, then quickly fade. Only Kirk knew the hurt Spock felt, no matter how much the other would later deny it.

Micah turned to Kirk. "Captain, will I get home again?" she asked.

Kirk felt a small smile warm his face, and he reached out to touch Micah's shoulder, delivering the comfort that Spock would never allow himself to give. "It may take a little longer, Micah, but we'll get there. I promise."


End file.
